Embossed-plate-printing machine.



SIIS. ADAMS.

EMBOSSED PLATE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5, 19I5.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

S. S. ADAMS.

EMBOSSED PLATE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.5, 1915.

1. 1 75,578 Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

e @O@ I 60 00% STEPHEN S. ADAMS), OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

EMBOSSED-PLATE-?RINTING MACHINE.

Application filed April 5, 1315.

to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine of nrv improvedconstruction, parts thereof being broken away and parts in section inorder to. more clearly illustrate the construction of the machine. Fig.2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 2- 2of Fig. 1, and showing a portion of an embossed plate; between one ofthe carrying rollers and one of. the inking rollers. Fig. ,3

machine and showing the arrangement of the plate carrying rollers,inking rollers, and ink distributing rollers. Fig. a is a plan View ofthe machine; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a series of sprocketwheels which are carried by the feed rollers and the y driving chainthereof.- Fig. ,6 isanenlarged vertical section taken approximately onthe line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

My lnventionrelates generally. to printing machineryand moreparticularly to a machine designed for coloring embossed plates, such asfor instance, motor vehicle license plates, embossed advertising platesor any metal or composition plate which is embossed to form raisedletters, numbers'or the same in length and diameter and the characters,and the surfaces ofwhich raised portions are distinctively colored withre spect to the back ground or depressed portions. I i

It will be understood that embossed vehicle license plates andadvertising. plates are generally coated with a suitable liquid enamelor vitrifiable substance and after the same has been applied it isnecessary to bake the coated plates in order to'cause the enamel orvitrifiablesubstance to become hardened and set on theplates.

My improved machine is particularly designed for receiving embossedplates after the same have been'coated so as to, color the back groundand applyto the surfaces Specification of Letters Patent.

is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the. center of, the

Patented Mar. 141, 191%.

Serial No. 19,170.

of the raised or embossed portions of said plates a liquid enamel orvitrifiable substance which is distinctive in color with respect to thecolor of the back ground, said machine being constructed so as to' veryrapidly perform its functions and operations and to evenly distributethe enamel or vitrifiable substance over the surfaces of the raisedletters or characters.

A further object of my invention is to provide an embossed. plateprinting machine which is comparatively simple, can be operated withlittle power and which can be readily adjusted so as to accommodateplates of varying widths.

W'ith the toregoingand other objects in view, my invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement ofparts,hereinafter more fully described and claimed. 7 Referring bynumerals tothe accompanying drawings, 10 designates a suitable support on which ispositioned a pair of upright parallel'plates 11 framed together in anysuitable manner and arranged between the upper portions of said platesat one end is a feeding table 12 and at the opposite end a discharge orreceiving table 13.

Formed in the upper portions of the plates 11 are rectangular notches 14and tween every other pair of these notchesare blocks 15in the upperportions of which are formed notches 16. Arran ed for ro- ,tation insuitable bearings formed in the plates 11 and below the notches 1 1 1s ahorishafts 17 are located so that the peripheries of said rollers aresubstantially inhorizontal alinement with the tops of the tables 12 and13, and thus the plates which are fed from table 12 are carried over bythe rollers 18 through the machine and delivered onto table 13..

@omparativelyshort rollers 19 are located on the shafts 17, said rollersbeing provided with setscrews 20,wherebythey may be adjusted on saidshafts toward and away from the rollers 18, and formed womb of saidrollers 19 is a rib or flange 21-. By making the rollers 19adjustablewith respect to the carrying rollers 18, plates of different .85"projecting upwardly from said plates bewidthscan be accommodated in themachine, it being understood that sa1d rollers are adjusted so that theedges of the plate engage the ribs 2i and thus the latter serve all ofthe sprocket wheels 22 and beneath the sprocket wheel 25, and thus asshaft 24 is rotated, corresponding rotary movement is simultaneouslyimparted to all of the shafts 17 upon which the carrying rollers 18aremounted.

Fixed on the end of shaft 24 on the side with the pinions 23 is a pulley27 which is adapted to receive adriving belt (not shown). 'Positioned inthe notches 14 are journal boxes 28, the same being provided withhorizontal extensions 29 which overlie adjacent portions of the plates11 and screwseated in'these projections 29 are adjacent screws 30, thelower ends of which bear against the upper edges of said plates '11. Theshanks of bolts '31 pass through suitable openings formed in theextensions 29. and'the threaded portions of said'bolts are screw-seatedin theplates 11. The construction just described provides means forvertically adjusting the journal boxes 28 and locking the same intheiradj ustedjpo sitions.

Mounted for rotation in the corresponding pairs of journal boxes 28 areshafts 32,

*the'samebeing paired with and arranged directly above the shafts 17 andcarried by the central portions of these shafts are ink applying orprinting rollers33, the; same being preferably formed of rubber or,

analogous material.

. Adjustably mounted on the shafts 32 are rollers 34- provided withhearing ribs 35 and which latter are intended to engage the.

edges of the plates during their passage through the machine and holdsaid plates in proper position with respect'to the flexibleorelastic'inking rollers. (See Fig. 2.)

Fixed onthe ends of the shafts 32 are pinions- 36 which are paired andmesh with the pinions 23 and thus the plate'carrying rollers 18 andcorresponding inking rollers 33 are simultaneously driven toward eachother and at the same rate of speed. I

' Loosely mounted in the notches 16 are the non-circular ends of shafts37 in the central portions of which are formed intersecting right andleft hand threads 38. Loosely mountedon each shaft 37 is an inkdistributing roller 39, the same being pro vided with a pin or screw 40,the inner. end of which engages in the corresponding grooves 38.' V 7 Itwill be understood that the shafts 37 are held against rotation and thatthe rollers 39 rotate upon said shafts by reason of their frictionalengagement with the inking "rollers 33, and during the rotary movementof said rollers 39 they will reciprocate lengthwise upon the shafts 37by the engagement of the pins 40 in the intersecting grooves 38. Thismovement insures an equal.

distribution of the ink or vitrifiable substance upon the rollers 33 andwhich rollers apply said ink or vitrifiable substance directly to thesurfaces of the raised portions of the plates.

Projecting upwardly from the plates 11 is a' suitable framework 41 andadjustably positioned thereupon is one or more con tainers 42 for theink or vitrifiable material, 7

the 331118 being discharged onto the ink rollers through valves l3 whichare located in the lower ends of'said containers.

Located on the innerend of the feeding table 12 are guides 44, the samebeing transversely movable so that they may be ad justed to variouswidths of plates.

In the operation of my improvedmachine rotary motion is imparted toshaft 24: and

by reason of the various driving connections corresponding rotary motionis imparted to V thecarrying rollers, inking or printingrollers 33, andink distributing rollers 39. The ink from containers 42 is deliveredonto the rollers 33 and as the machine is operated this ink is evenlydistributed over the surfaces of said rollers by the rollers 39. The

rollers 19 and 34 and guides 44 are adjusted to the width of the platesto be passed through the machine and said plates are now fed from table11- between the first pair of carrying and inking rollers. This firstpair of rollers will frictionallyengage the plate and draw the same'intothe machine and said plate will be successively engagedby the variouspairs of rollers and will finally discharge onto table 13; V

During'the passage of the plate through the machinethe surfaces of theraised portions will be coated with ink, which it will be understood isa suitable liquid enamel or vitrifiable material, and when said plate isdelivered onto table 13,.it is in condition to be placed in the dryingroom or oven.

A machine of my improved construction is comparativelysimple, requirespractically no attention after being properly adjusted, and can beoperated at comparatively high speed, and therefore, will veryrapidlyperform the work required.

It Will be readilyunderstood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction ofthe various parts of my improved macolor applyingrollers.

time

rollers, and means whereby said rolling sup-j,

ports, rolling guides, color applyingrollers and work engaging rollersare simultaneously and uniformly driven.

in machine of the class described, a support, rolling work guides attheends of said support, a series oi color applyingrollers arranged abovesaid support, work engaging rollers at the ends of said color applyingrollers, means whereby all or said rollers simultaneously and uniformlydriven, and means for evenly distributing coloring substance to saidrollers.

23. in a machine the class described, a series of rolling supports,rolling work uides at the ends of said rollin su) orts series of colorapplying rollers cooperating with said rolling supports, work engagingrollers at the ends of said color applyrollers, means for simultaneouslyand uniformly driving the rolling supports, the rolling work guides, thecolor applying r011 er and the work engaging rollers and color ditributing means cooperating with the 4. In a machine of the classdescribed, a series of carrying rollers, rolling work guides arranged atthe ends of saidcarrying rollers and cooperating therewith, a series ofcolor applying rollers, work engaging rollers arranged adjacent to theends of said color applying rollers, and means whereby the carryingrollers color applying roll crs are simultaneously and uniformly driven.

in a niachineof the class described, a series of carrying rollers,rolling work guides arranged at the ends of said carrying rollers andcodperating therewith, a series of color applying rollers, work engagingrollers arranged adjacent to the ends of said color applying rollers,means whereby the quarrying rollers and color applying rollers aresimultaneously and uniformly driven, and a series of color distributingrollers 00- operating with the color applying rollers.

6. in a machine oil? the class described, a. horizontallydisposed seriesof work carrying rollers, a horizontally disposed series otverticallyadjustable color applying rollers, means whereby all of the rollers areuniformly and simultaneously driven, adjustable work guiding rollersarranged adacent to the ends of said work carrying rollers, and workengaging rollers positioned ad acent to the ends of the color applyingrollers and above the work guiding rollers.

7. In a machine o1 the class described, a

horizontally disposed series of work carrying rollers, a horizontallydisposed series of vertically adjustable color applying rollers, meanswhereby all of the rollers are uniformly and simultaneously driven,color distributin rollers cooperatin with the color.

applying rollers, adjustable work guiding rollers arranged adjacent tothe ends of said work carrying rollers, and work engaging rollerspositioned adjacent to the ends of the color applying rollers and abovethe work guiding rollers. x

8. In a machine of the class described, a horizontally disposed seriesof work carrying rollers, work guiding rollers arranged adjacent totheends of said carrying rollers and having the same axes therewith,which work guiding rollers are adjustable toward and away from said workcarrying rollers, a

horizontallydisposed series oi color applying rollers cooperating withthe work carryin rollers, and means for evenly distributing coloringmatter to said color applying rollers.

9. In a machine of the class described, a horizontally disposed seriesof work carrying rollers, work guiding rollers arranged adjacent to theends of: said carrying rollers and having the same axes therewith, whichwork guiding rollers are adjustable toward and away from said workcarrying rollers, a horizontally disposed series of color applyingrollers cooperating with the work carrying rollers, means for evenlydistributing coloring matter to said color applying rollers, and meansfor simultaneously driving the work carrying and color applying rollers.

10. In a machine of the class described, a horizontally disposed seriesof work carrying rollers, work guiding rollers having the same axes withsaid carrying rollers and adjustable toward andaway from said car' ryingrollers, a horizontally disposed series of vertically adjustable colorapplying rollers arranged in a plane above the work carrying rollers,and a series of work engaging rollers having the same axes with thecolor applying rollers and adjustable toward and away from said colorapplying rollers.-

of vertically adjustable color applying rollers arranged in a planeabove the work carrying rollers, a series of work engaging rollershaving the same axes with the color applying rollers and adjustabletoward and away from said color'applying rollers and means forsimultaneously and uniformly driving the Work carrying and colorapplying rollers.

12. In a machine of the class described, a

a series of work engaging rollers having the same axes with the colorapplylng rollers and adjustable toward and away from said color applyingrollers, means for simultaneously and uniformly drlvlngthe work carryingand color applying rollers, and means for distributing coloring matterto said color applying rollers. V I

13. In a machine of the class described, a plurality 'of shaftsoccupying the same plane,

a work carrying roller fixed on each shaft, 2. pair of work guidingrollers adjustably .mountedon each shaft with one roller adjacent eachend of the corresponding work carrying roller, a series of shaftsoccupying I a plane parallel with the plane occupied by the firstseries, acolor aplplying roller carried byeach of the secon' mentionedseries of shafts, and-a pair of work engaging rollor ers adjustablypositioned on each shaft of the second mentioned series of shafts, and

which work engaging rollers are positioned adjacent to the work guidingrollers. on the first mentioned series of shafts.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto affiX' my signature in the presenceof'two witnesses,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing. the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

